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Article: We'd like a new market for all our bull calves; THE DAIRY FARMER.(News)
- Article from:
- Daily Post (Liverpool, England)
- Article date:
- February 16, 2006
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2006 MGN Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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LIKE dairy farms up and down the country, Rhual was devastated by Britain's BSE crisis and the end of live exports: almost overnight it ended a lucrative market in bull calves.
The Over Thirty Months Scheme provided a safety net of sorts for cull cows, but male calves were rendered worthless. Around 315,000 are shot at birth in the UK each year, though Rhual does its best to find new homes for its bull calves.
"We are prepared to buy pounds 5 tags for the calves and keep them for a week if we know of people who were willing to rear them," said Reg Booth, 63, one of three partners in the 450-acre amalgamated farm on the outskirts of Mold.
"Last ...